Elastic or resilient connecting member



June 17, 1930 RICHTER LA TIC 0R RESILTENT CONNECTING MEMBER tv m w m 5 Patented June 17, 1930 @FFIQE HANS RICHTER, F VIENNA, AUSTRIA ELASTIC 0R BESILIENT CONNECTING MEMBER Application filed November 25, 1927, Serial No. 235,559, and in Austria July 1'7, 1926.

This invention relates. to an elastic or resilient connecting member adapted for use in connection with braces, belts and band of any kind in which tape or ribbon-like int elastic or practically inelastic membersare to be imparted with considerable elasticity.

Two modes of carrying out the present invention are illustrated by way of example on the accompanying sheets of drawings in which- FigsJl and 2 are front views of the connecting member, used in connection'with a pair of braces, in the unextended and ex tended or stretched condition respectively.

1 Fig. 3 is'a cross-sectional view, the sec tion being taken on line 01 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows in longitudinal section a modified construction of the elastic connecting member.

The elastic connecting member comprises a casing 1 formed of thin sheet metal, ebonite, an artificial substance or the like and divided into four small compartments 3 by means of partitions 2. The top of the casmg is covered by a lid 4, which for instance is glued to it and the floor of the casing as well as its lid are provided with two narrow slots 5 for the passage of the pulling membersfi which are in the shape of metal bands and the ends of which are provided with or are enlarged to form "washers 7. compression spring 8 surrounds each pulling member 6, one end of each spring resting on the corresponding washer, while the other end thereof bears against the inside of the casing-lid or casing-floor respectively. The windings of the spring are shaped like small rectangles and guided by the metal-band 6.-

The ends of the two outer metal-bands 6, which extend through and out of the lid, are secured tothe bottom arm of a bracket 10, while the part A of the braces is attached to the upper arm of the said bracket. The free ends of the two inner metal-bands 6 are secured in a similar manner to a bracket 11, towhich is attached the part B ofthe braces. v i In Fig. 1 the elastic connecting or intermediate member is shown in the unextended condition, while Fig. 2 illustrates the said member stretched condition, whereby the same is practically twice the length of the spring-casing. The-small metal-bands, employed as pulling members, adapt themselves to the shape of the body of the wearer during all movements far better than it is the case of steel-wires already proposed in similar arrangements.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4, in

which only a single spring-compartment of 3 the casing is illustrated inlongitudinal section, the pulling member consists of two thin tapes or bands 20, 21, preferably of sheetmetal, which are held apart such a distance by aninterposed strip 22 riveted to the inner end and by the extension 23 of an eye 24 riveted to the outer end of the tapes, that they form a hollow profile which completely fills out the inner spaceof the spring 8 and during the stretching of the latter positively prevents the spring to bend outward and rest against the walls of the casing 1. Thereby the necessary pliancy of the pulling member is fully satisfied in consequence of the construction in the shape of a hollow profile.

As indicated at 20 and 21, the inner ends of the two tapes20 and 21 are turned out ward in order to provide a rest for the in ner end of the spring 8. The flanges thus formed are sufficiently large to provide a secure rest for the spring and are of such dimensions, that they do not cooperate with the walls of the guide-casing in order to safely prevent any contact during the operation of the spring. The pulling member is guided by a plunger or guide-member 28, which is not subjected to the pressure of the spring 8 inc nsequenceof the flanges 20* and 21 and which is fixed to thestrip 22 in any convenient manner. In the illustrated embodiment the plunger or guidemember is in the shape of a solid prism, but it can. be formed hollow or of any other convenient cross-sectional shape and may consist of metal, any convenient artificial substance, wood or leather. I

The construction of thepulling members as a band-shaped hollow profile possesses the following practical reason :A certain relation has to exist between the strength of the spring-Wire as used and the cross-section of the winding, in case it is desired to avoid tensions, which are too great, during the winding and play ofthe spring Instead of a solid pulling member, a hollow. member composed of tapes or bands is employed according to the present invent-ion, in order to fill out, as much as possible, by the pulling member the cross-sectional area of winding according to the chosen strength of the spring and prevent a bulging .out of the spring during compression.

I claim I 1. Elastic connecting or, intermediate member for use in connection with braces, belts, and the like, comprising in combination a flat casing, partitions arranged in the same to form a number of laterally closed compartments, a pulling tape enclosed by a flat compression springrarranged in each compartment, and a, guide-member proviced on. each tape and cooperating with the walls of its comoartment to provide for an exact axial guidance of the spring-loaded pulling tape.

2. Elastic connecting or intermediate member for use in connection with braces, belts and the like, comprising in combination a Hat casing, partitions arranged in the same to form a numberof laterally closed compartments, a pulling tapeenclosed by a flat compression spring arranged in each compartment, the tapes being arranged in such a manner that they move in opposite longitudinal directions in order to double the length of the extension, a guidemember provided on each tape and cooperating with the walls of its compartment to provide for an exact axial guidance of the spring-loaded pulling tape.

Elastic connecting or intermediate member for use'in connection with braces, belts ant the like, comprising in combina tion fiat casing, partitions arranged in the same to form a member of laterally closed compartments, a pnllingta pe arranged in each compartment, a flat coil-spring arranged on each tape in such a manner that the inner :space of the spring is completelylilled out by the tape, and a guide-member provided on each tape and cooperating with the walls of its compartment to provide foran exact axial guidance of the spring-loaded pullingtape. a r

4-. Elastic connecting or intermediate member for use in connection with braces,

' belts and the like, comprising in combina tion a fiat casing, partitions arranged in the same. to form a number or laterally closed compartments, a pulling tape arranged in each compartment, thetapes being arranged in such a inanner that they move in opposite longitudinal directions 7 in order to double the length of the extension, a fiat coil-spring arrangedoneach tape in such a manner that the inner space of the spring is completely filled out by the tape, and a guide-member provided on each tape and cooperating with the walls of its compartment to provide for an exact axial guidance of the spring-loaded pulling tape.

5. Elastic connecting or intermediate member for use in connection with'braces, belts and the like, comprising in combination a fiat casing, partitions arranged in the same to form a number of laterally closed compartments, a pulling member consisting of metal-tapes arranged in each compartment, a flat coil-spring arranged on each pulling member, a strip interposed between the metal-tapes and forcing the same apart in such a manner, that the inner space of the pring is completely filled out by the pulling member, and a guide-member provided on each pulling member and cooperating with the walls of its compartment to provide for an exact axial guidance of the spring-loaded pulling member. r

6. Elastic connecting or intermediate member for use in connection with braces, belts and the like, comprising in combinationa flat casing, partitions arranged in the same to form a number of laterally closed compartments, a'pulling member consisting of metal-tapes arranged in each-compartment, the pulling members being arranged in such a manner that tiey' move in opposite longitudinal directions in order to double the length of the extension, a flat coil-spring arranged on each pulling member, a strip interposed between the metal-tapes and forcing the same apart 'in such a manner, that the inner space of the spring is completely filled out by the pulling member, and a guide-member provided on each pulling member and cooperating with the walls of its compartment to provide for an exact axialguidance of the, spring-loaded pulling member.

.7. Elastic connecting or intermediate member for use in connection with braces,

belts and the like, comprising in combination a flat casing, partitions arranged in the same to form a number of laterally closed compartments, a pulling tape enclosed by a flat compression spring arranged in each "compartment, and a member provided with a guide-head on each tape and cooperating with the walls of its compartment to provide foran exactaxial guidance of the spring-loaded pulling tape.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

HANS RICHTER. 

